Happy 3rd birthday Miss Belle

Dear Miss Belle,

As I sit and write this I’m sat waiting for a growth scan to check on your baby brother or sister. I can’t believe that not only are you three, you’re about to become a big sister.

This last year has been full of so many lovely moments. Finding out we were expecting another baby has been a big one of them. You’re so affectionate towards the bump and ask to listen, look and kiss the baby. I’m so pleased you seem excited, but I’m terrified about what’s to come. I’m terrified I’ll no longer be just yours. As much as this baby is very much wanted, I’m scared about how you’ll adjust to having to share me. You love to play with your baby doll and bath it, feed it and change it’s nappy. So I hope you’ll enjoy looking after your brother or sister too. You’re already Mummy’s brilliant little helper, picking things up for me when I can’t bend down or reach them!

You’ve turned into such a funny, beautiful little girl. You’re so animated when you play. If the pretend water in your baby’s bath is too hot, you look so shocked and tell us with such force, “oooooh it’s TOO hot!”. The same goes for the toy food you cook too. The last few months you’ve started playing even more imaginatively, often telling me there’s a monster or a shark coming for you. That’s lovely to see.

You’re moving up to the next room at Nursery this month, and as much as I feel guilty we’ll be sending you there two days a week, I know you enjoy it there. They say you’re doing brilliantly and we are so proud of you. I know we’re biased, but you seem so clever to us. We only have to tell you something once and you’ve got it. Your memory is astounding and you love to play memory games. I love to see your online journal and how you play with the other children. You’re still a bit of a pickle at times, and like to show your authority with a shove or push or pull of hair. I hope it’s something you’ll grow out of (asap, please!) but like one of the girls said to me, we want our girls to be strong! That you are my love, that you are!

It’s funny though, because you’re still a sensitive soul. In fact your Daddy says you’re just like me. One minute bossy, feisty and shouty, the next scared and crying at something! You’re still unsure of new things. Santa and crackers caused tears this Christmas. But at the same time you’re finding your confidence, especially in environments and with people you know well. You’ve also inherited your Daddy’s stubbornness. You cannot be made to do something you don’t want to do! Our current daily battle is getting dressed or undressed. Not to mention teeth brushing! You’re so lazy at times and it can take 20 or 30 minutes for you to take your trousers off for a nappy change. Unsurprisingly Daddy has more luck than me!

My biggest regret of this last year was trying to potty train you. We had a terrible first attempt. I really did what I thought was best at the time, but we’ve left things and you’re now much happier and also showing true signs you’re ready. I’m waiting for you now, and I promise to try not to push you.

You’re such a lucky girl and have so many lovely friends. We have such a lovely life really. We are always busy! We hang out with your friends, go to a couple of classes each week and have lots of play dates. We watch too much Frozen! You’re completely obsessed and ask me to sing Let It Go every day! I always oblige… And we possibly eat too much cake. And of course I feel like we don’t do enough crafts! But you love our weekly Sunday ritual of making pancakes and over these last few months you’ve loved watching Strictly Come Dancing with me every Sunday morning! You love to dance and jump around.

Yes of course I get stressed and shouty and there are tantrums sometimes, but that’s just real life. On the whole you’re such a happy girl and a joy to spend time with. Now that you’re three you’re such good company. You’re not too manic (yet! – though that may come back to bite me!). You crack me up with your funny sayings! I’m so thankful we can spend such quality time together and it’s at times like these when I reflect on our year, that I realise that giving up work temporarily was the best thing I could have ever done.

I really hope you continue to be such a happy, content little girl as our family expands this year. It’s going to be an exciting but different time for us.

You make my heart burst with love every day and I’m so thankful you’re mine.

Hi there!

Hi, I'm Susie, Mum to Miss Belle and wife to Matt. Lover of food, sunshine and holidays, this is my personal parenting blog where I write honestly about the positives in motherhood, and bring a bit of humour to soften the blow on the harder days. Thanks for visiting!

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